Fewer traffic accidents reported during Tomb Sweeping holiday

BEIJING — The number of traffic accidents across China saw a 25.2-percent decrease year-on-year during the three-day Tomb Sweeping holiday, the Ministry of Public Security said April 7.

The death toll from the accidents was down 48.3 percent from the same period last year, a statement from the ministry said, attributing the decrease partly to increased efforts of police in traffic control and road patrols.

As of 6 pm April 7, no major traffic accidents that cause more than 10 deaths had been reported during the holiday, said the statement.

According to figures from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China saw 112 million domestic trips during the holiday, up 10.9 percent from last year’s holiday.

Tomb Sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival, is an important occasion for Chinese to honor their ancestors. Many also spent the three-day holiday on leisure travel.

Around 9.78 million Chinese visited cemeteries to honor their deceased relatives during the holiday.